Now in his fourth season with the New York Islanders, John Tavares has developed on the track many figured he would. He has become a dominant player in and finds himself in the thick of discussion for inclusion on Canada's roster at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (Ben Pelosse/QMI AGENCY)

Interesting how it works with budding superstars.

Often, they’re the ones who know that talent alone won’t get it done, that showing up every so often isn’t enough to really earn the multi-million dollar paycheque.

John Tavares is no different. It’s a bit hard to believe that nearly eight years have passed since the day in May 2005 that Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch announced that Tavares had been granted exceptional player status to enter the OHL draft at the age of 14.

Tavares tore up the OHL for four seasons with the Oshawa Generals, finishing his junior career with the London Knights in 2009, when he was a roommate of Leafs forward Nazem Kadri.

Now in his fourth season with the New York Islanders, the 22-year-old Tavares has developed on the track many figured he would. He has become a dominant player in and finds himself in the thick of discussion for inclusion on Canada’s roster at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.